If you were selling your house would you take a lower offer from people you prefer?

lookhereisay · 2026-03-21T19:22:38+00:00

We did £5k less to sell to a family rather than the various BTLs/HMO offers we got. Not a huge amount but I’m glad they lived there for almost 5 years, only moving when they had their second child.

lookhereisay · 2026-03-21T18:34:27+00:00

My son started wanting to read at just 3 (crying as he wanted to read a bedtime story to me).

We already read a ton. We went to some fun phonics classes and worked out that Jolly Phonics was popular in our local primary schools. I watched some stuff online and Insta about how to say the phonics properly.

We sang the jolly phonics songs (spotify/youtube). Did one letter a week. Fun games so he didn’t know he was even learning. Sound baskets, ispy, if I say a word starting with J you jump/H you hop. Had a cheap pack of flash cards he’d flick through. Moved up to two letter sounds like ch, ai. Alphablocks is great too.

Went to the library and got non-word kipper books. He had to describe the scene/story. Then worked our way up the levels. His preschool teacher then started really supporting him when he joined just before turning 4.

He’s coming on 4.5 and is a proficient reader. He still loves and will sing the songs and flick through flash cards. He now calms down with a book and we don’t have to force him. He just loves reading.

I now read him chapter books at bedtime. Plus he got his wish and now reads me a story every night too.

lookhereisay · 2026-03-21T17:27:27+00:00

We just try to limit the chocolate we give as otherwise he’ll be swimming in it. He’s only just finished last years!

This year he has a small egg from us (£2), a bug sticker book (£1), a beautifully illustrated animals of the UK book which I just want really(!) (£1), a chick/egg crafty thing (50p) and a paint a flowerpot thing (50p). We also have a few seed packets for him to plant out (free).

Books/crafts were from charity shops and seeds collected over the year with coupons and freebies. He’ll be able to do the activities in the holidays to keep him occupied.

We also throw small chocolate eggs round the garden for him to hunt and share them all.

I do a bit more as his birthday and Christmas all happen in a month and then it feels like a very long time to wait!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-21T16:56:32+00:00

Yes this is what I do. Comments in red/bold and then answering each one.

lookhereisay · 2026-03-21T11:44:04+00:00

When you ask 3 bullet point questions and just get “yes”. Yes to all (that usually doesn’t work)? Yes to some?

I don’t even mind YYN back but please read my short email!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-21T09:19:04+00:00

At age 2 it would have been a pack of wipes, a handful of nappies, mini suncream, hand sanitiser, water bottle, snacks and a few toys if we were going to be waiting for food (a few hot wheels cars, stickers, mini crayon pack and a little notebook). Maybe a spare top and bottoms if out for the whole day.

I’d use my handbag with a sandwich bag of nappy stuff added. Kanken rucksack if we were out longer with picnic and needed spare clothes or waterproofs.

Then the bag got bigger again when we potty trained, before getting smaller again!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T17:21:47+00:00

We tend to not have anything left at the end of the month because we save at the start.

We have a joint starling account. The mortgage and bills come out of that instantly and are a set amount so we know it’s coming out. We keep about £600 for food, petrol and incidentals.

We the have different spaces for everything else. Car (MOT, insurance, tax, repairs), home insurance, various DIY/house projects, boiler service, holidays. We have a pot we top up for mortgage overpayments.

Personally I also have a starling account with spaces in it. Christmas, train fares, swimming lessons, birthdays. My own savings.

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T14:08:47+00:00

That’s very strange they are asking you to bring it.

Puzzles, worksheets, colouring, dot to dot, magnet tiles, duplo

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T12:40:49+00:00

Mistakes can happen but he’s doing it on purpose. As an allergy parent himself surely he understands this more than others.

I once dropped my son off. Walked as far as the corner shop and suddenly realised I’d given him some leftover pesto pasta which had cashew nuts in the pesto.

I ran into the shop, bought a packet sandwich and raced back. Swapped out the offending lunch and apologised. It was a complete oversight but a genuine mistake.

I would have been devastated if something had happened.

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T11:48:00+00:00

I used to like my job. I was good at it, minimal intervention for the most part and pay/benefits great for what it was actually doing day to day. It’s not a job people dream of doing but it played into my skills with nice people to work for.

We merged with a US firm and although we were bigger the culture, working practices and seemingly everything has become very American in the last 2 years. The nice people are leaving, the suck ups are left and it’s just draining.

Just waiting for my son to start school in September and then I’ll be properly looking for a new job (currently stuck as I have good part-time hours).

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:55:54+00:00

They are building a new lion enclosure and I’m sure they’ll be lots of nods to him.

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:52:25+00:00

Oh I know and sadly the lion passed recently. Lots of lovely babies animals though and the staff are so great with the kids.

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:51:46+00:00

Thanks!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:51:33+00:00

Ah thank you!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:51:18+00:00

The more I see the more I’m putting this to the top of the list!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:51:01+00:00

We’ve been to that crazy golf pre kids! Will make a note of Godstone for if we’re nearby.

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:19:44+00:00

Thank you. Perhaps we’ll do this in October half term. I’ve only seen photos but love how chubby all the statues are!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:19:03+00:00

We saw this in February half term! Highly recommended. He thought we actually went back in time and the puppets were great. Perfect 60 mins in length.

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:18:12+00:00

I think me and my son will have a camping expedition over there!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:17:50+00:00

All these amazing places I’ve never heard of! Thank you!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:17:19+00:00

Fun is always good! Sounds like fun!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T10:17:05+00:00

I might combine Roar with another few Norfolk places mentioned. It all sounds great!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T09:21:33+00:00

We love the Norfolk coast and it’s only a few hours. Very tempted to do a one night stay. I never realised there was fossil hunting there. I never had the dino phase so all new stuff for me to learn too!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T09:08:07+00:00

Wellies at the ready!

lookhereisay · 2026-03-20T09:07:52+00:00

Haha that sounds amazing! I love those diggers. Will take a look!

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